scholarly journals The Role of Preprocedure Screening of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Tertiary Care Medical Center Analysis

Author(s):  
Catarina Correia ◽  
Nuno Almeida ◽  
Pedro Figueiredo

<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> This study aimed to understand the prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection among patients undergoing endoscopic procedures at a tertiary care hospital. The results allow prediction of the magnitude of cases which this endoscopic service might witness in the next months and planning of future actions accordingly. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This retrospective study was conducted in the gastroenterology department of a large urban tertiary care medical center from October 15, 2020, to November 15, 2020. In this institution, all patients proposed for endoscopic procedures under deep sedation must be submitted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) detection. These results were thoroughly reviewed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> In the 1-month period, a total of 833 different procedures were done in 833 patients admitted to the endoscopy unit. Of these, 167 (20%) were submitted to nasal swab for SARS-CoV-2. Only 1 (0.6%) was positive for this infection, and her procedure was postponed. This RT-PCR-positive patient was not symptomatic for CO­VID-19 infection at the time of preprocedure screening. She had no positive contacts for COVID-19 and had not traveled outside the country. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> We found that the proportion of patients proposed for an endoscopic intervention who were asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2 was low. However, only one fifth of patients were tested and, considering the proportion of 0.6%, it is reasonable to consider that exposure of healthcare workers and other patients can occur. So, all prevention measures must be strictly followed. However, the cost-benefit of an universal testing policy must be proven.

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 774-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. O'Malley ◽  
R. Douglas Scott ◽  
Julie Gayle ◽  
John Dekutoski ◽  
Michael Foltzer ◽  
...  

Objective.To determine the cost of management of occupational exposures to blood and body fluids.Design.A convenience sample of 4 healthcare facilities provided information on the cost of management of occupational exposures that varied in type, severity, and exposure source infection status. Detailed information was collected on time spent reporting, managing, and following up the exposures; salaries (including benefits) for representative staff who sustained and who managed exposures; and costs (not charges) for laboratory testing of exposure sources and exposed healthcare personnel, as well as any postexposure prophylaxis taken by the exposed personnel. Resources used were stratified by the phase of exposure management: exposure reporting, initial management, and follow-up. Data for 31 exposure scenarios were analyzed. Costs were given in 2003 US dollars.Setting.The 4 facilities providing data were a 600-bed public hospital, a 244-bed Veterans Affairs medical center, a 437-bed rural tertiary care hospital, and a 3,500-bed healthcare system.Results.The overall range of costs to manage reported exposures was $71-$4,838. Mean total costs varied greatly by the infection status of the source patient. The overall mean cost for exposures to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected source patients (n = 19, including those coinfected with hepatitis B or C virus) was $2,456 (range, $907-$4,838), whereas the overall mean cost for exposures to source patients with unknown or negative infection status (n = 8) was $376 (range, $71-$860). Lastly, the overall mean cost of management of reported exposures for source patients infected with hepatitis C virus (n = 4) was $650 (range, $186-$856).Conclusions.Management of occupational exposures to blood and body fluids is costly, the best way to avoid these costs is by prevention of exposures.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 848-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-Hua Wang ◽  
Preeti Pancholi ◽  
Kurt Stevenson ◽  
Mitchell A. Yakrus ◽  
W. Ray Butler ◽  
...  

Objective.To investigate a pseudo-outbreak of “Mycobacterium paraffinicum” (unofficial taxon) infection and/or colonization, using isolates recovered from clinical and environmental specimens.Design.Outbreak investigation.Setting.University-affiliated, tertiary-care hospital.Methods.M. paraffinicum, a slow-growing, nontuberculous species of mycobacteria, was recovered from 21 patients and an ice machine on a single patient care unit over a 2.5-year period. The clinical, epidemiological, and environmental investigation of this pseudo-outbreak is described.Results.Twenty-one patients with pulmonary symptoms and possible risk factors for tuberculosis were admitted to inpatient rooms that provided airborne isolation conditions in 2 adjacent hospital buildings. In addition, 1 outpatient had induced sputum cultured for mycobacteria in the pulmonary function laboratory. Of the samples obtained from these 21 patients, 26 isolates from respiratory samples and 1 isolate from a stool sample were identified asM. paraffinicum. Environmental isolates obtained from an ice machine in the patient care unit where the majority of the patients were admitted were also identified asM. paraffinicum.Conclusions.An epidemiological investigation that used molecular tools confirmed the suspicion of a pseudo-outbreak ofM. paraffinicuminfection and/or colonization. The hospital water system was identified as the source of contamination.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2575-2575
Author(s):  
Vipra Sharma ◽  
Maya Shah ◽  
Ravi Pullela ◽  
Alice J. Cohen

Abstract Abstract 2575 Background: Use of platelet (plt) transfusions to treat and prevent bleeding varies widely between hospitals and by medical and surgical services. Standard indications include active bleeding with thrombocytopenia or plt dysfunction, pre or peri-invasive procedure, and prophylaxis for low plt counts. Rising demand for plt transfusions and donor shortage, coupled with the risks of transfusion (including infectious disease transmission and alloimmunization) are concerns which often lead to strict regulation of plt transfusion in hospitals. In order to evaluate appropriate use of plt transfusion based on Newark Beth Israel Medical Center transfusion guidelines, a review of plt use was undertaken at this tertiary care hospital. Design: A retrospective review was performed of plt utilization over a 3 month period from October to December 2009. All charts of hospitalized and outpatient patients receiving plt transfusions were reviewed to determine reasons for plt transfusion. Pre-transfusion plt values, site/service ordering plt transfusions, number of units transfused and cost were determined. Results: 421 plt units were transfused to 125 patients (51.6% female), mean age 44 years (yrs.) (range 0–89). All plt transfusions were single donor units. The mean plt count prior to transfusion for all procedures was 127,000, well above hospital guidelines. The majority of plt utilized were by cardiothoracic (CT) surgery (168/421, 40%) with the highest cost (Table 1). 124/421(29%) of transfusions occurred pre- or peri- invasive procedure, with 88/124 (71%) of those transfusions occurring prior or peri- cardio-thoracic procedure. 83/421 (20%) of transfusions had no clear indication based on hospital guidelines, predominately ordered by CT surgery and occurring post-op for asymptomatic thrombocytopenia (cost $45, 650). The mean plt count at which transfusion was found to have no indication was 55,000 (range 25,000–105,000). 136/421(32%) of the cases were prophylactic transfusions with a plt count < 20,000, with 121/136 (89%) in the oncology patients, and the rest in the medical pts due to sepsis. 114/421(27%) of the transfusions were for bleeding. Only 5 patients, 3 in the CT group, and 2 in neonate group had plt dysfunction as the indication for transfusion prior to procedure. The lowest incidence of plt transfusions without an indication was in the adult oncology department. Conclusion: Platelet utilization varied by departments. CT surgery followed by neonatal and pediatric oncology are the principal users of plt in our tertiary care medical center. CT surgery, general surgery, and neonatal services had the highest pre-transfusion plt counts. As 20% of all transfusions had no clinical reason for plt use (no bleeding, invasive procedure, or severely low plt count) the opportunities may exist for lower platelet usage by educating physicians about compliance to transfusion guidelines in order to decrease the risks associated with transfusion and resultant complications. Disclosure: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan P. McGrath ◽  
Todd MacKenzie ◽  
Irina Perreard ◽  
George Blike

Abstract Background Allocation of limited resources to improve quality, patient safety, and outcomes is a decision-making challenge health care leaders face every day. While much valuable health care management research has concentrated on administrative data analysis, this approach often falls short of providing actionable information essential for effective management of specific system implementations and complex systems. This comprehensive performance analysis of a hospital-wide system illustrates application of various analysis approaches to support understanding specific system behaviors and identify leverage points for improvement. The study focuses on performance of a hospital rescue system supporting early recognition and response to patient deterioration, which is essential to reduce preventable inpatient deaths. Methods Retrospective analysis of tertiary care hospital inpatient and rescue data was conducted using a systems analysis approach to characterize: patient demographics; rescue activation types and locations; temporal patterns of activation; and associations of patient factors, including complications, with post-rescue care disposition and outcomes. Results Increases in bedside consultations (20% per year) were found with increased rescue activations during periods of resource limitations and changes (e.g., shift changes, weekends). Cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, and sepsis complications present the highest risk for rescue and death. Distributions of incidence of rescue and death by day of patient stay may suggest opportunities for earlier recognition. Conclusions Specific findings highlight the potential of using rescue-related risk and targeted resource deployment strategies to improve early detection of deterioration. The approach and methods applied can be used by other institutions to understand performance and allow rational incremental improvements to complex care delivery systems.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2027
Author(s):  
Philipp Golke ◽  
Mario Hönemann ◽  
Sandra Bergs ◽  
Uwe Gerd Liebert

Rhinoviruses (RVs) constitute a substantial public health burden. To evaluate their abundance and genetic diversity in adult patients, RV RNA in respiratory samples was assessed using real-time RT-PCR and the partial nucleic acid sequencing of viral genomes. Additionally, clinical data were retrieved from patient charts to determine the clinical significance of adult RV infections. In total, the respiratory specimens of 284 adult patients (18–90 yrs), collected from 2013 to 2017, were analyzed. Infections occurred throughout the entire year, with peaks occurring in fall and winter, and showed a remarkably high intra- and interseasonal diversity of RV genotypes. RV species were detected in the following ratios: 60.9% RV-A 173, 12.7% RV-B, and 26.4% RV-C. No correlations between RV species and underlying comorbidities such as asthma (p = 0.167), COPD (p = 0.312) or immunosuppression (p = 0.824) were found. However, 21.1% of the patients had co-infections with other pathogens, which were associated with a longer hospital stay (p = 0.024), LRTI (p < 0.001), and pneumonia (p = 0.01). Taken together, this study shows a pronounced genetic diversity of RV in adults and underlines the important role of co-infections. No correlation of specific RV species with a particular clinical presentation could be deduced.


2009 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. AB110
Author(s):  
Atul Bhardwaj ◽  
Charles E. Dye ◽  
Nakechand R. Pooran ◽  
Abraham Mathew

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s366-s366
Author(s):  
Avnish Sandhu ◽  
Jordan Polistico ◽  
Ashwin Ganesan ◽  
Erin Goldman ◽  
Jennifer LeRose ◽  
...  

Background: The clinical picture of influenza-like illness can mimic bacterial pneumonia, and empiric treatment is often initiated with antibacterial agents. Molecular testing such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is often used to diagnose influenza. However, traditional PCR tests have a slow turnaround time and cannot deliver results soon enough to influence the clinical decision making. The Detroit Medical Center (DMC) implemented the Xpert Flu test for all patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI). We evaluated antibacterial use after implementation of rapid influenza PCR Xpert Flu. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study comparing all pediatric and adult patients tested using traditional RT PCR during the 2017–2018 flu season to patients tested using the rapid influenza Xpert Flu during the 2018–2019 flu season in a tertiary-care hospital in Detroit, Michigan. These patients were further divided into 3 groups: not admitted (NA), admitted to acute-care floor (ACF), or admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). The groups were then compared with respect to percentage of antibacterial use after traditional RT PCR versus rapid influenza Xpert Flu testing during their hospital visit for ILI. The χ2 test was used for statistical analyses. Results: In total, 20,923 patients presented with influenza-like illness during the study period: 26% (n = 5,569) had the rapid influenza Xpert Flu and 73.4% (n= 15,354) had traditional RT PCR. For a comparison of the number of patients in 3 groups (NA, ACF, and ICU) and type of influenza PCR performed among these patients, please refer to Table 1. When comparing antibacterial use in the NA group, the proportions of patients who received antibacterial agents in the traditional RT PCR group versus the rapid influenza Xpert Flu group were 24.4% (n = 695) versus 3.9% (n = 450), respectively (P < .0001). In the ACF group, the proportions of patients who received antibacterial agents in the traditional RT PCR group versus the rapid influenza Xpert Flu group was 62.3% (n = 1,406) versus 27.7% (n = 994), respectively (P < .001). In the ICU group, the proportions of patients who received antibacterials in the traditional RT PCR group versus the rapid influenza Xpert Flu group were 80.3% (n = 382) versus 38.3% (n = 204), respectively (P < .0001). Conclusions: With rising antimicrobial resistance and increasing influenza morbidity and mortality, rapid diagnostics not only can help diagnose influenza faster but also can reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


Author(s):  
Vinod Kumar ◽  
Bhupen Songra ◽  
Richa Jain ◽  
Deeksha Mehta

Background: the present study was under taken to determine the role of CA-125 in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA), to prevent its complications and also in preventing negative appendicectomies in tertiary care hospital. Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care and research center between 01/03/2018 to 30/06/2019. Patients admitted to the surgery department with diagnosis of AA were considered for the study. After informed consent, a, standardized history was obtained as a case Performa. Serum samples from all the cases with clinical diagnosis of AA were obtained and stored. Only the cases with histopathologically approved AA were included in the study. Cases operated for clinical diagnosis of AA, but not histopathologically proven AA was not included in the study. CA125 levels in cases with definitive diagnosis of AA were measured. Results: In present study, ROC curve analysis revealed the sensitivity of 87.27 % and specificity of 90.91 % when the CA 125 cut-off value of > 16.8 was taken to diagnose acute appendicitis. AUC was 0.911 with a standard error of 0.0292. Conclusion: In this study we have observed that CA125 showed a positive correlation with acute appendicitis, that was statistically not significant (P>0.05). We didn’t evaluate the correlation with the disease severity. We consider that CA125 can be used as a marker in acute appendicitis cases although further research is still needed. Keywords: CA125, Acute Appendicitis, Surgery.


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